JFK Library visitors meet 'presidents' and 'first ladies'

President's Day at JFK Library in Boston

Astha Agarwal, (left), a senior from Newton South High school tried on clothes from the 18th Century with the help of "First Lady Abigail Adams," portrayed by Patricia Bridgman.

Kiva Kuan Liu

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Astha Agarwal, (left), a senior from Newton South High school tried on clothes from the 18th Century with the help of "First Lady Abigail Adams," portrayed by Patricia Bridgman.

Kiva Kuan Liu

Resting his head on his arm, Avery Gordon, 9, wrote a letter to President Barack Obama with a yellow pencil, along with three other children at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on Monday.

In addition to crafts and gallery tours, visitors were able to ask actors portraying presidents questions.

Children designed their own presidential china and brought it to "dine" with "First Lady Dolly Madison." Role players wore costumes, speaking and acting like the presidents or first ladies of the period.

"Oh madam, it's very hard to answer this question from 18th Century," said Patricia Bridgman, who portrayed First Lady Abigail Adams, when she was asked how she felt today in the museum.

"It's an honor to be able to sing a piece of history," said Kevin Hilgartner, a singer with the Harvard Din & Tonics, an acapella group that performs the campaign songs of President John F. Kennedy.

"Today is very kids' friendly, compared to other days, and teaches the kids history that I don't know. They can see and experience it in person," said an Ethiopian immigrant mother who has brought her son and daughter more than ten times to the museum.

"It's fun to be a part of the day when the whole country is honoring our nation's past and celebrate the presidential history, and this is what we do here every day," said Rachel D. Flor, the Director of Communications.